Too Much Fun: I Can’t Wait to Race in the Full Release
If you want to add a bit of competition to the sim without fully committing to career mode, the new challenge league is a great option. Challenges aren’t entirely new to MSFS – since the 2020 launch, we’ve had landing challenges as well as themed challenges like those from Top Gun: Maverick and Dune: Part Two. What’s new in 2024 is the dedicated challenge league. Each week, three fresh challenges are introduced, and you can compete with the entire community to climb the leaderboards. Your score determines your ranking, from bronze to gold, and each challenge is designed to be quick, lasting about two to three minutes.
During my hands-on with MSFS 2024, I tried out the F/A-18 Hornet race through the Grand Canyon. What I loved most was that, even though the challenge itself was a bit fantastical (I’m sure the Department of Defense and National Park Service wouldn’t approve), the flight model remained true to the sim’s realism. The aircraft wasn’t adjusted for a more “arcade-like” experience, you still have to manage the real aerodynamics, handling, and physics from the core simulation. I couldn’t quite beat the current world-record holder, but in fairness, they had a proper flight stick for the Hornet while I was using a yoke. Still, it was an absolute blast, and I can’t wait to race in the final game with my Thrustmaster flight stick and throttle setup.
